XL1 aimed at light source at DVinfo.net

Chris Staab · January 5th, 2004, 03:55 PM

Does anyone know how to eliminate the green vertical bars that appear when the XL1 is aimed at a light source or reflective surface?? I love this camera so much...but I find it impossible to work around this.

Afonso Campos · January 5th, 2004, 05:46 PM

I believe you are talking about zebra lines. You must go into the XL1 menu and turn off Zebra lines. If I am wrong, someone please correct me.

Jean-Philippe Archibald · January 5th, 2004, 05:50 PM

A green vertical bar sound more like a light flare than zebra bars. Zebra bars are black and if I remember well, diagonal. If you are using a UV filter, try to remove it. There is filters that introduce some flares.

Chris Staab · January 5th, 2004, 07:06 PM

These are strong vertical lines...always green. I seem to get them the most when shooting at very high shutter speeds. If I am shooting water on a bright day...these lines are all over the place. I have even encountered them on everything from white shirts during outdoor interviews, and even from sweat beading on my interview's forehead. The sun and it's reflected light tend to do it the most. I am sure the obvious means of avoiding this would be to bump my shutter down, but I always shoot with high shutters to help my subject stand out from the background. I know for a fact that it is not a problem with just my camera, because the same thing occurs with my cousin's XL1....and now with his XL1s. No UV filters are being used. Now that I am using the monochrome viewfinder, it is sometimes difficult to detect while shooting. The lines are often subtle if the light is only reflected. Thank you for your input.

Jeff Donald · January 5th, 2004, 09:55 PM

It is a CCD phenomena and can't really be avoided if you shoot into a bright light source. It is covered in the XL1 manual. Certain types of CCD's (FIT) are less prone to the vertical bands, but are typically used on more expensive cameras.

Chris Staab · January 5th, 2004, 10:24 PM

That's what I was afraid of. Thank you for putting that to rest for me.

Unrelated....you have really nice bird shots. I too am a wildlife photographer. You pictures really make me miss the Everglades. I used to work at WSVN (FOX affiliate) in Miami. I loved getting out of the city and into the 'glades. Anyway...great shots. Feel free to keep me posted as you update your site.

Rich Lee · January 6th, 2004, 02:02 AM

Chris, r u using the 3x lens? I had similer problems when i used my 3x lens and it seemed to go away at different shutter speeds. It didnt happin at all with the 16x. and yes it wasnt just at light sources, but anything that was white...even if it wasnt in direct sun light. Anyway, not to long after a gear in the lens busted and had to be replaced, and it seemed fine after that.

Chris Staab · January 6th, 2004, 11:44 AM

I am not using the 3x. I use the 14x manual lens, as well as the stock lens. Like you, white surfaces kill me too. That's really an annoying drawback to this camera. I can live with it, work around it, etc......but I really wish I didn't have to.

January 5th, 2004, 03:55 PM	#1
Chris Staab Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hawaii Posts: 51	XL1 aimed at light source Does anyone know how to eliminate the green vertical bars that appear when the XL1 is aimed at a light source or reflective surface?? I love this camera so much...but I find it impossible to work around this.

January 5th, 2004, 05:50 PM	#3
Jean-Philippe Archibald Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saguenay, Québec, Canada Posts: 1,051	A green vertical bar sound more like a light flare than zebra bars. Zebra bars are black and if I remember well, diagonal. If you are using a UV filter, try to remove it. There is filters that introduce some flares. __________________ Jean-Philippe Archibald http://www.jparchibald.com - http://www.vimeo.com/jparchib

January 5th, 2004, 07:06 PM	#4
Chris Staab Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hawaii Posts: 51	It's definately not the zebra lines.... These are strong vertical lines...always green. I seem to get them the most when shooting at very high shutter speeds. If I am shooting water on a bright day...these lines are all over the place. I have even encountered them on everything from white shirts during outdoor interviews, and even from sweat beading on my interview's forehead. The sun and it's reflected light tend to do it the most. I am sure the obvious means of avoiding this would be to bump my shutter down, but I always shoot with high shutters to help my subject stand out from the background. I know for a fact that it is not a problem with just my camera, because the same thing occurs with my cousin's XL1....and now with his XL1s. No UV filters are being used. Now that I am using the monochrome viewfinder, it is sometimes difficult to detect while shooting. The lines are often subtle if the light is only reflected. Thank you for your input.

January 5th, 2004, 09:55 PM	#5
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	It is a CCD phenomena and can't really be avoided if you shoot into a bright light source. It is covered in the XL1 manual. Certain types of CCD's (FIT) are less prone to the vertical bands, but are typically used on more expensive cameras. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 5th, 2004, 05:46 PM	#2
Afonso Campos New Boot Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 17	I believe you are talking about zebra lines. You must go into the XL1 menu and turn off Zebra lines. If I am wrong, someone please correct me.

January 5th, 2004, 10:24 PM	#6
Chris Staab Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hawaii Posts: 51	That's what I was afraid of. Thank you for putting that to rest for me. Unrelated....you have really nice bird shots. I too am a wildlife photographer. You pictures really make me miss the Everglades. I used to work at WSVN (FOX affiliate) in Miami. I loved getting out of the city and into the 'glades. Anyway...great shots. Feel free to keep me posted as you update your site.

January 6th, 2004, 02:02 AM	#7
Rich Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Los Angeles Ca Posts: 126	Chris, r u using the 3x lens? I had similer problems when i used my 3x lens and it seemed to go away at different shutter speeds. It didnt happin at all with the 16x. and yes it wasnt just at light sources, but anything that was white...even if it wasnt in direct sun light. Anyway, not to long after a gear in the lens busted and had to be replaced, and it seemed fine after that.

January 6th, 2004, 11:44 AM	#8
Chris Staab Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hawaii Posts: 51	I am not using the 3x. I use the 14x manual lens, as well as the stock lens. Like you, white surfaces kill me too. That's really an annoying drawback to this camera. I can live with it, work around it, etc......but I really wish I didn't have to.